1. Field of the Invention
The present invention involves an addressing system for communication within computer networks. More specifically, the invention relates to a method and system for expandable addressing of devices or modules connected to a network to provide topological information for the network.
2. Background Information
Cable systems were originally uni-directional, supporting only a downstream data path, such as from a headend modular platform for the cable system. Data is routed in packets through the hubs and Nodes to the end user location, where it is received by the customer cable box or cable modem. In some instances bi-directional communication is available directly through the cable system in which communication from the customer to the headend modular platform is directly available using an assigned portion of the bandwidth. In other systems, it is necessary to provide a return path via a telephony network to the headend modular platform.
Regardless of the type of cable system used, it is necessary to assign addresses to each device or module connected to the network in order to ensure that the data packets are correctly routed and decoded by the user end device having the correct address and authorization. Most known forms of addressing are not flexible, and the number of layers or junctions that may be addressed is fixed to a maximum number. Additionally, most fixed addressing schemes do not provide any correlation between the structure of the connections in the network and the address.
It would be desirable to provide an addressing system for a network that can be expanded as additional elements are added to the system and which also provides a correlation between the structure of connections in the network and the addresses. It would also be desirable to allow status monitoring of the return path over the network through a headend platform utilizing the cable system, which can readily provide information on where in the system any problems have occurred.